Cy Springs heads into district on high note
Cypress Springs is close. It won three games each of the last two seasons after winning three total the previous three years combined.
But the Panthers need to go further to contend for the playoffs in District 17-6A.
“We haven’t won the close games,” coach Rick Cobia said.
“So the focus has been ‘What else can we do to make ourselves better?’ because we are playing Cy Ranch and Cy-Fair, and even Cy Woods, and those guys always seem to close us out, and we can’t match up.
“So two weeks ago when we played Mayde Creek, our kids played well for four quarters, and that was something we needed to see.”
The result was a 51-12 win in Cy Springs’ opener.
The offensively charged victory was the team’s third consecutive seasonopening win over the Rams.
“It’s huge that our kids played well the first game,” Cobia said.
“What’s nice is I have so many kids who I can go at any second, with Donnell Dunn, Drake Carter (and) Taye Barber, (and) our running back has really made (the offense) special because they really have to crowd the box to slow our running game down, and Barber can run and throw.”
The Panthers scored 30 more points than in last year’s opener, which seems to indicate they’re further along on offense, especially after making the 7-on-7 state tournament for the first time this summer.
But Mayde Creek has a new staff, and wins over the Rams haven’t led to winning seasons.
“That’s a new coaching staff over there, and they had high hopes of getting out there and getting after us, so I was real impressed with our offensive output,” Cobia said. “The kids did a good job of carrying it over from 7-on-7.
“Offensively, we have guys who can push the ball vertical, which has helped us a lot, stretching the field.”
Barber is stretching the field vertically and horizontally.
After limited action as a backup last year, the sophomore threw for 275 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 63 yards and another score in his first game as the Panthers’ starting quarterback.
“You could tell early he was a little apprehensive, when we played A&M Consolidated in a scrimmage, but his second series around he got after it, and here, in this game, he came out aggressive,” Cobia said.
“He threw the ball well, so we didn’t run him much, and that’s good because he was able to throw. Last year, as a freshman, he was a runner. This year, as a sophomore, he has a good game throwing the football.”
Jonathan Toliver is the running back driving the ground game.
“He’s a positive runner,” Cobia said. “He gets positive yards. He’s not a guy who’s going to dance around. “He’s going downhill.” Dunn and Carter are the talented returning receivers who can run the short routes or go vertical for a big gain.
Dunn was huge last year, and Cobia expects a similar breakout for Carter this season.
Carter, a 6-1, 180-pound senior, had five receptions for 171 yards and two touchdowns against Mayde Creek.
“People are going to have to double cover Dunn,” Cobia said. “They’re going to put people below the secondary to his side, I think, and when that happens it causes problems for the secondary.
“Now, if you go to Dunn’s side, we’ve got Carter on the other side, and both kids are capable of pushing it.”
Inside linebackers Maveke Kenneh and Eric Carter, who played nose guard last season, cornerbacks Bobby Wilson and Kejuan Reynolds and free safety Abraham Bakare highlight the defense.
They’re a younger group but Cobia says the defensive line played surprisingly well.
He’s looking for a big year from Kenneh, the team’s defensive leader who’s in charging of setting the front seven.
The Panthers, coming off a bye week, open district against Jersey Village.
“They’re going to bring a great game, losing that close game (to Cinco Ranch 30-27 in Week 2), and they’ll come out and play a heads-up game,” Cobia said. “They’ve got great coaches over there, great players, (with Deshun) Qualls at quarterback and (Rokeem) Paul at receiver, they’re very explosive (and) huge.
“Their offensive line is massive – collegiate size.
“And so we’re hoping to keep them in front of us, slow it down and win a close one this year.”